NVIDIA PhysX and Mirror's Edge

[alexandar]

Hi guys,

I am asking myself about PhysX is this true story or good marketing?

I have my 4830, but it doesnt support PhysX...I want to understand do I need PhysX or not???

I found a lot of articles, I found one at one of local web sites, it seems to me that it is
good technology. They have translator...which is good (thanks that guys understand that web is
global application)

http://www.itmembe.rs/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=695:mirrors-edge&catid=28:gaming&Itemid=7

Please let me know about your opinion, do I need PhysX for good gaming, and do I need to sell
my 4830 and buy something from NVIDIA?

Thx you people,

Alex

 

[pinaplex]

you don't "need" physix for good gaming. physx is an option for Nvidia users in certain games that support it, but for all around gaming you don't absolutely need it.

 

[chef7734]

You do not need it, but it does add some nice effects to mirrors edge. There are a lot of wind and tearing effects, glass breaking. If you do not have physics x you will not see a lot of the flags, tarps, plastic and glass breaking. Besides that you will get pretty much the same play.

 

[rangers]

lets face it mirrors edge is a crap game with or without physics

 

[L1qu1d]

rangers simmer down dude.

Its not ur type of game lol...relax its innovative in my opinion.

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

Any physics is innovative IMHLO, like we see on Oblivion as exampled. But Im in Apes camp on this one. Until it actually makes a difference in game, effects decisions, the player etc, then its just what it is innovative, and not groundbreaking

 

[L1qu1d]

I was talking about the game...not physx....

PhysX is like the wii of Video cards...attracting the easily amused public. Waste of my time.

I much rather prefer havok...not a resource drain...and I can't really tell the difference really...I usually turn off Physics in games either way in games, save some resources thats how I play FC2 on my laptop

I was just saying to rangers not to blame the game...I mean its a good game, and very fun and adrenaline pumping..but, too short.

Ppl are showing alot of hate for games now because it has certain attributes...PHysx, plays best on Nvidia or Intel.

Its getting ridiculous. (not pointing fingers at Rangers, just saying in general).

OMG hawx uses DX 10.1...I'm gonna hate it!.....1 of my fav games.

Though enabling DX 10 or 10.1 all together takes a lot of the resources off though. Halves my frames on my laptop.

Anywhoo....

Enjoy life.

I finally made my decisions and I'm grabbing the 4770 once I see a downclocked version that doesn't need a power connector, which shouldn't be too far away.

 

[Nik_I]

i thought mirror's edge was a good game actually. but yeah, physx is a bit of a gimmick. sure its more 3D effects, but none that add to the gameplay. Maybe once a standard API is agreed upon and more than a handful of developers start coding physx in their games, then it'll be worth it. but right now, its just eye candy.

 

[EXT64]

I'm a bit confused by the vote thing at the top, but to answer your question (I'll basically just agree with the others) I don't think that PhysX is worth it right now. I think that it is really cool and has potential, but my rule of thumb is buy hardware for what you want to do now. No matter how awesome Mirror's Edge is, it is only one game. Not worth a major upgrade, IMO. If more games jump on the PhysX wagon in the future, then buy a NVidia GPU then (though, if that actually happened, I'd think NVidia/ATI would have to come to some sort of agreement. If it actually did a lot, ATI would want in).

 

[IzzyCraft]

Physx is a nice little extra no one needs it but do you need dx10 over dx9 for the extra visual effects it brings no... but do you want it probably yes. Running physx though my now useful again 8800gt is what i just do while a 260 does the main rendering.

 

[rags_20]

I really wouldn't want to get PhysX. When I used Nvidia, I never used to enable PhysX. It is just something nvidia did to increase sales over ATI. Sure, it does all that chef7734 said it would. But that's just one game. And Mirror's Edge is a game with close to zero replayability.

 

[L1qu1d]

What are you talking about?

It has a new DLC with maps that last 1 hr to complete EACH...lol....

I'm sorry 1 game?

UT3, Rainbow Six GR 2, Cryostasis, Mirror's Edge, CellFactor, and a bunch more I'm sure u can find a list.

 

[rangers]

there's games i take 2, Mirror's Edge not being one of them, maybe if i had gave it more time i would have came to like it, but its just not my type of game

 

[chef7734]

BTW GRAW 2 is not Rainbow Six. BTW PhysX is more wide used than just pc also available on Xbox 360 and ps3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhysX

 

[L1qu1d]

rangers give it some time man, really adrenline pumping.

But it might not be your type of game.

I'm in the middle of sooo many games now, including chronicles of Riddick Dark Athena....Amazing game.

 

[L1qu1d]

BTW GRAW 2 is not Rainbow Six.

I meant Tom Clancy's

 

[chef7734]

I meant Tom Clancy's

LOL no worries just giving you hard time.

 

[L1qu1d]

oh lol I didn't take it to heart. Your right, so why argue

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

You do not need it, but it does add some nice effects to mirrors edge. There are a lot of wind and rearing effects,...

Rearing Effects?
Yeah I think that settles it, I don't need PhysX thanks!

 

[chef7734]

Tearing. Sorry typing on a new keyboard. Trying to adjust. Going from MS ergo to a g15. Different shaped keys and smaller. Been typing on ergo keyboards since the late 80's early 90's.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

BTW GRAW 2 is not Rainbow Six. BTW PhysX is more wide used than just pc also available on Xbox 360 and ps3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhysX

Name the titles on X360 that use PhysX that's offloaded away from the CPU.... yeah '0'.

PhysX is used on the X360, PS3 and Wii, but so is Havok, and all of their titles use the CPU for Physics, with the PS3 using the SPEs to do the physics, not the RSX chip.

So it's not really relevant to this discussion which is hardware GPU PhysX which is limited to JUST PC, the CPU version is equally available to AMD hardware.

 

[chef7734]

http://developer.nvidia.com/object/physx_good_company.htmlthere is a list of titles that use physX. I am not a console gamer so have not played any of them, but hell even the iphone is supporting physX now. The discussion was about physX and in a different thread, not sure, was about how havoc is better because it is used by other platforms. The point is PhysX is PhysX no matter if it is cpu or gpu based.
Oh and btw Havock is not hardware based. It is only a SDK also.

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

But can it play Crysis?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Understand my point, for THIS thread, PhysX is NOT PhysX, the OP is talking about dropping an ATi card for the 'benefit' of PhysX, that's not about the CPU kinda of PhysX so your list is no more beneficial or relevant than a detour in the the longer list of games that support Havoc. And PhysX on the iPhone is as pointless as Running a video cam app on it, it's too hardware limited to make good use of it.

So for this thread, that it's GPU-PhysX and that it's PC based, is VERY relevant, it's the whole point, not whether PhysX is being adopted. Ageia had the same list you're linking to, it didn't make it any more compelling then than it did now, or vice versa, the only thing that changed is the install base, and if that's an improtant change then the Havoc addition of ATi, nV & S3 as well as AMD & intel means more install base for their brand of Physics. But just like PhysX right now, it doesn't really matter enough to chose a lesser graphics or CPU solution simply to add these essentially tack-on implementations.

If he were to sell his HD4830 and with the proceeds buy a GTS250 or G9800GTX, or maybe even a second hand GTX260 if he's lucky, enabling PhysX means you greatly reduce your performance, so are you saying those effects are worth a reduction of ~20% in fps or resolution, and also losing other features in other titles?

As JDJ mentioned, my view on all of them, Havoc included, I don't care about them until they really make a difference and influence game play in a worth way and show me something more than superficial visual effects similar to shinier water. Even in Mirror's edge that blowing cloth doesn't come from wind that effects your jumps, nor from rotor-wash that affects your trajectory or balance.

For now it's still just a beta feature more about R&D than real killer-app.

 

[swifty_morgan]

PhysX is like the wii of Video cards...attracting the easily amused public. Waste of my time.

I much rather prefer havok...not a resource drain...and I can't really tell the difference really...I usually turn off Physics in games either way in games, save some resources thats how I play FC2 on my laptop


Ppl are showing alot of hate for games now because it has certain attributes...PHysx, plays best on Nvidia or Intel.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Physics isn't a waste of time. When available it makes the game you're playing more enjoyable because you get to see things you normally would not.

As far as resource drain, it does cut into some performance if you run only one card but if that card is higher end you'll never know it.

There are those who will take advantage of being able to use it. A lot of players might be taking advantage of it without even realizing it. Physics in game play is the future and the future is now....... and it's only going to keep getting better. I can't understand why some people complain about it.

There was a post yesterday weather some one should buy a physics card. I got caught up in it and tried an experiment. I have an Xfire board running a GTX260. I put my old GTS8800 640 card on to see if it would work....... it did. I see no reason why it wouldn't work with an ATI card for video and an 8800, 9800 or 9600 card for physics on the same board. I may have tried it already, I can't remember...... something for "Tom's" to do.